Method of operating a particle beam microscope and a particle beam microscope
US9140656B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 2014 |
| Grant date | Sep 22, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/045
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of operating a particle beam microscope includes: directing a particle beam onto a sample and detecting particles emanating from the sample during a first period for generating an image of the sample; generating electrons having a first distribution of kinetic energies and directing these electrons onto the sample during a second period for reducing a charge of the sample being generated while the directing the particle beam onto the sample; and generating electrons having a second distribution of their kinetic energies and directing these electrons onto the sample during a third period for further reducing the charge of the sample being generated while the directing of the particle beam onto the sample. An average value of the kinetic energy of the first distribution of the kinetic energy is greater than an average value of the kinetic energy of the second distribution of kinetic energies.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.